Guwahati/Agartala/Shillong, Jul 26 (IANS): Triggered by the rise in COVID-19 cases, various governments in the northeastern states have taken some stringent measures including lockdown and night curfew in a bid to arrest the spread of the deadly contagion, officials said on Saturday.
A complete three-day lockdown was announced by the Tripura government from Monday while, the Meghalaya and Nagaland governments have enforced the curbs in the state capitals.
In Manipur, the 14-day statewide complete lockdown and curfew began from Thursday. So far 2,176 coronavirus positive cases were found in Manipur and 656 remain active and 1520 people recovered from the disease.
Among the northeastern states, Assam has registered a massive rise in COVID-19 cases in July because of the return of around 300,000 people from other states.
Given the spike, the Assam government has taken a series of steps, including door-to-door sample tests in vulnerable areas, weekend lockdown (Saturday and Sunday) and 21-day lockdown in the Kamrup (Metro) district, till July 19.
Of the total of Assam's 29,921 COVID-19 positive cases so far, around 13,000 cases found alone in the Kamrup (Metro) district. Assam has 33 districts. Of the 76 deaths due to the coronavirus in Assam so far, 35 deaths took place in the Kamrup (Metro) district. On late Saturday night, Assam has active cases 8,081 while 21,761 people recovered from the dreaded disease.
After Assam, 11 people so far have succumbed to the virus in Tripura with 3,777 positive cases so far. On late Saturday night, the state recorded 1,617 active cases while 2,131 patients have recovered.
Tripura's law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath has announced the three-day statewide lockdown from Monday morning. The night curfew across the state would also continue.
Nath, who is the spokesman of Tripura government, however, announced certain relaxations with some conditions in essential services and business including grocery, milk, vegetables, fish and meat shops and markets. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the Health Department, in a speech televised in the local channels, urged the people to maintain strict social distancing and hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.
The Meghalaya government to has announced a complete lockdown for four days in capital Shillong and its outskirts from July 26.
Director of Health Services, Aman War said that with Shillong headquartered East Khasi Hills district is the worst-affected district of the state with 466 active cases which include 286 BSF personnel, 159 civilians and 29 Armed forces personnel. In all, 94 patients have recovered so far.
The mountainous state so far registered 585 positive cases with 87 recovered from the virus and five people, including a veteran doctor, died. Of the 585 positive cases, 319 belong to the Border Security Force and various other armed forces.
A complete lockdown was imposed in Nagaland capital Kohima on Saturday till July 31, while it would come into effect in the state's important commercial town Dimapur from Sunday till August 2. The state has so far recorded a total of 1,289 positive cases with 7,441 active cases and four deaths.
Another northeastern state Arunachal Pradesh crossing the 1,000-mark on Saturday recorded 1,056 positive cases so far. The state now has 661 active cases, while 392 people have recovered from the disease and three died of the infection.
In Mizoram, so far 361 COVID-19 positive cases found and currently, 178 are active cases.